1348 NC Highway 105
Boone (828) 262-5128Hours:
Sun -> Thu: 5 PM -> 9 PM
Fri -> Sat: 5 PM -> 9:30 PM
We ate supper at Casa Rustica a few times before putting our review together. We recently revisited–see a few comments added below.
Ray: On my first visit, I started off with a mixed greens salad (included with meal). The greens were fresh and the tomatoes good (although less fresh on the second visit), but I found the balsamic vinegar dressing to be far too thick for my taste. On the second visit I tried the house vinaigrette, which was excellent. On my second visit, I tried the soup of the day, which was a very nice prosciutto ham/sweet pea/caramelized onions soup. It was very tasty, if a bit sweet for my tastes.
Tom: On previous visits I tried a number of dishes but will comment mainly on our recent trip. I do recall that the portions on our earlier visits did not seem particularly generous, a situation that I think has improved.
For this meal I too had the (included) house salad with the house Italian and I agree–it was fine, including the fresh-ground pepper and parmesan cheese provided by the waiter.
I chose the French onion soup, only because I always choose that as my standard for measuring soups. It was excellent, with cheese and a small slice of toast floating on top.
But, when they say a cup of soup they mean a cup of soup–about the smallest cup I’ve seen.
Ray: Well, that’s because you’re a porker and would always want more!
Tom: Indeed.
Ray: Finally, For main course on my first visit, I had the Chicken Dijon (Sauteed medallions of chicken, sun dried tomatoes, mushrooms and dijon mustard, served over your choice of pasta). The chicken, mushrooms, and tomatoes were good, but the fettuccine noodles I choose were very slimy in consistency. On my second visit, I had the Angel Hair Marinara with sausage, onions, and peppers. This entree was quite good, although the sausage is not hot sausage. The pasta was not overcooked/slimy, and the usage/onions/ peppers added just the right blend of flavors to the marinara sauce. Various types of rolls also came with the meals, and all were good. On my first visit, I washed my meal down with what I had hoped would be a cup of hot tea, but turned out to be a cup of tepid tea due to the less than hot water provided. I had a couple of excellent Wolaver’s Organic Ales on my most recent visit. For dessert on my second visit, I had a very nice bowl of spumoni.
Tom: I had one of the specials of the night–veal tips braised with onions, capers and sun-dried tomatoes in a red-wine tomato sauce. It was tasty but did not have much spice to it–i think we both prefer dishes to be a little edgier with spice. The portion was good and I was full and satisfied but with just enough room left for an excellent slice of cheese cake with strawberries. I washed it down with a bottle of wine I shared with our guest–an organic wine they claim has low sulfates to prevent headaches that some diners (including our guest), suffer from regular wine. The wine, a 2003 Domaine de Cedres Cotes-du-Rhone. The wine was good and our guest reported no problems.
Ray: The service was pleasant and fast, until it came time for our checks. It took what seemed like forever to get the check out of the waiter on the first visit, and somewhat longer than it should have on the second visit. I also like that the food here is served on nice plates with above average flatware.
Tom: I thought the timing of the service was excellent except for a bit of a wait between the salad and entree. The waiter seemed knowledgeable and was particularly helpful with advice on the wine. We arrived a bit early–about 5:45–and by the time we left the restaurant was full like it often is.
Ray: Casa Rustica is located in a Lincoln-log type log cabin, with a big fireplace, pastoral scene art on the walls, and light jazz playing in the background. The tables and chairs were nice and comfy, and all in all this was a relaxing place for a meal. On my second visit we ate in one of the side rooms, which was just as pleasant as the “main hall”.
Casa Rustica no doubt has some good food, it’s just that I haven’t found it yet. On a previous occasion, I had the spaghetti with meat sauce, and found it ok but uninspiring, with, as I recall, the same problem with slimy noodles. That said, the third time seems to be the charm, since I have few complaints with my most recent meal here. Additionally, the service was (mostly) good and the atmosphere is quite relaxing.
Tom: Yes, I agree that it is a nice place to eat–a bit cozier and quieter than some of the other places in town, and quite comfortable. They could indeed spice up their dishes a bit. I too recall having the spaghetti on one of our previous visits and found it unmemorable.
Second serving (Tom): In a recent visit with some friends I had a delightful meal, having the Veal Parmigiana and a side of linguini. It was very nice and exactly filling. My companions had a variety of other dishes, all well prepared. The service seemed to be quite prompt and the server impressively knowledgeable, both in general and about the specials. The desert tray was too good to resist when shown to us, and we succumbed to eating ourselves into a stupor.
GPS Coordinates
Lat: 36° 12.166′ N
Lon: 81° 40.587′ W
Menu (prices may change)
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